A lovely magazine called In Parentheses published my piece “The Weight of Smoke” in their Summer 2016 issue. This piece falls somewhere between prose and poetry as it alternates between direct quotes from a 1902 article from the Kalamazoo Gazette and my creative interpretation after researching the story.
In “The Weight of Smoke,” my great-great-grandmother Alice Paak’s only brother’s house is on fire. His wife had passed away two years before. He and his children each have their own reactions to the loss of their home (which is not insured).
You can purchase a print copy of the magazine at the following link for $9.80. You get a free digital issue with that. Or you can purchase a digital issue for $2.00.
Photo from thefamilykalamazoo.com
George Paake
“The Weight of Smoke”: The story of George and his children and the house fire of 1902
I’ve been gone for quite awhile and am now back. Woohoo! So glad to be home. I’ll tell you more about my travels later, but I can tell you that the five kitties are thrilled we are home. Kana was kept in her own room so she wouldn’t bother Tiger, and this morning she and Pear kissed. That was so nice to see because Pear used to be a little hissy to her. But not any more :)!
Can’t wait to get back to blog reading once I plow through a couple (10, 20) piles of paper that were deposited in my mailbox in my absence. UGH.
Congratulations on your nonfiction piece, “The Weight of Smoke,” being published in Parenthesis. Such a compelling story,
Welcome home, Luanne!
Thanks, WJ, on both the welcome and the kind compliment. I am starting to feel as if I know these people . . . .
Congratulations…
Thanks so much, Sally!
Congrats and welcome back!
Thanks, Kate! It’s good to be back!
Congrats, Luanne! So thrilled for you. xo
Thanks, Rudri. A lot of my chapbook pieces are being taken. I just hope the chapbook itself gets taken . . . .
What an interesting approach, Luanne–love it. Welcome back!
Pam
It is something I feel equipped for because it blends two passions, if that makes sense. Thanks, Pam. It’s good to be back!
Congratulations and welcome back! You sound refreshed. 🙂
Thanks, Jennifer. Tired, for sure, but probably re-set in a way, which is always a good thing! Are you blogging this summer? Doesn’t look like it?
I haven’t been not-blogging by intention, but that’s definitely been the effect. I think it was a combination of things: slight burnout from NaPoWriMo/LexPoWriMo and the strain of having both kids at home for the summer. (The latter caught me by surprise.) I’ve been playing catch-up and blogging just hasn’t made it back to the top of the list. It’s getting close, though, thank goodness.
I’m finding it hard to write this summer and can understand why you would be burned out and need to recharge!!!
We got a second kitty, and Simon (the cat we already had) just loves her. Although, she (Violet) brought with her a parasite and a viral infection, and Simon caught both! The parasite is taken care of, but he’s still getting over the upper respiratory infection. He is on the mend though, and the two of them are adorable together. 🙂
Wow! So happy that they are on the mend and that they love each other!!! What a sweet story. Woot! Did you post photos? Congratulations!
Congratulations, Luanne! I’m glad you’re feeling refreshed.
I’ll have to check out your piece in a bit. Off to bed in a few minutes. We’ve been back and forth to daughter and son-in-law’s to take care of our “grandpets,” and it’s really eaten into the days. And I’m way behind on my work–as usual–but even more so. 🙂
I am happy you were published in the nonfiction magazine, “In Parentheses.” Your creativity amazes me, taking a family story and making a magical connection, Luanne. I am sure it comes to life through your poetic words.
George Paake looks warm and sincere. I hope they didn’t lose everything. This was a tough disaster considering his children and having lost his wife two years before the fire.
Oh, how wonderful to see you back here! Congratulations on your latest publication … I’ll have to see about getting me a copy 😉 And that is wonderful news about Kana and Pear … perhaps absence does make the heart grow fonder, even for cats 🙂
Woot!!! I am not sure but I think this piece might have been one from our class. I would have to check to make sure . . . . This morning Kana chased Felix and he cried, then this afternoon they kissed haha! But Kana still bothers Tiger and now Tiger pretends that Sloopy Anne is bothering her, but Sloopy Anne just wants to be part of things. She was rolling noisy balls in the bedroom this morning at 4:30AM and Tiger was alert. But when we started to get up, Tiger got paranoid that Sloopy was in there and acted her crazy self :(.
And I complain about Junior and Maxine having hissy fits in the morning when they want to be fed (usually Junior attacks Maxine because … well, she’s Maxine … and Maxine, ever the drama queen, cries like a banshee. Meanwhile, Wendy is making a plaintive mewing and walking over me … such begins my morning … but after reading your comment, I’ll stop complaining ;))
Congratulations! I love this combination of forms, so I bet it rocks.
Thanks, Ellen. It feels so right for me.
Congrats!